Finger moistening pad for bowlers



Jan. 23, 1951 w. F. MEGILL FINGER MOISTENING PAD FOR BOWLERS Filed Oct. 25, 1946 INVENTOR.

TVL'ZLL'am RMeyilL ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 23, 1951 UNl'lEl); STATES PATENT OFFICE FINGER MQISTENING PAID FOR newness William F. Megill, Washington, "n. o.

Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,771

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to the sport of bowling, and more specifically to a finger moistening pad for bowlers in the nature of a hand-moistening pad, of resilient absorbent or porous material, which is adapted to be mounted for personal wear, as upon the waist belt of a bowler.

As is well known to bowlers, by slightly wetting or moistening the hand or finger tips, the bowler is enabled to more effectively handle and grip the ball, thereby enhancing his skill and accuracy, with a consequent increase in his bowling score.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be carried by the bowler as part of his bowling equipment, which may with facility be attached to a belt or other part of the bowlers apparel where it is readily accessible for use, and with equal convenience the device may be detached when its services are no longer required. The device of the invention is composed of a minimum number of parts that may readily be manufactured at low cost of production and assembled into a small and compact unit of convenient size and shape that is avai able for use as an aid to the bowler when required, and which will not interfere with his bowling activities.

The invention consists essentiallv in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described, and specifically set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawin s one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is i lustrated in which the parts are com bined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practical ap lication of the principles of the invention. It will be understood that various changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures within t e scope of the claim without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a face view of a moistening pad embodying my invention, showing by dotted lines the manner of mounting the pad upon a support and in position for use.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the pad of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view on a reduced scale showing the pad in position for use on a bowlers belt.

Figure 4 is an end view of the pad as in Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I employ a rectangular or oblong base plate or mat I. preferably fashioned of molded plastic material, hard rubber, or other flexible and resilient material.

and at its opposite ends the mat is provided with transversely disposed slots 2, 2 through which the free end E of a belt B may be threaded, and the belt is equipped with a buckle C for fastening in usual manner about the waist of the wearer.

The moistening device, including the fastening slots, is adapted as to size and shape for use with standard sizes of belts for personal wear, and whie the pad is shown attached to a belt that is worn about the waist of the bowler, it will be understood that the portable device may be supported in other manner for convenient use by the bowler.

The bowlers aid or moistener, as a unit, includes a porous spongy resilient absorbent pad 3 that is permanently aiiixed to or mounted on the base plate or mat and designed to absorb and retain moisture. In the illustrated parts the mat may be of rubber that is hardened, and the pad may be of sponge rubber that is vulcanized permanently on the mat; but other materials may be utilized in the production of the moistener, if desired, in order that the auxiliary device may conform to the shape of its support, which is here shown as a curved belt.

The pad or m-oistener is preferably fashioned with tapered ends i, 4, while the sides 5, 5, which become the upper and lower faces of the pad when it is in position for use, are parallel, and preferably fashioned each with a series of spaced grooves 6, or cut out portions. The grooves 5 in the upper and lower sides or spaces of the pad are of a sufiicient size to receive the fingers of a hand whereby the surfaces of the fingers that normally contact a bowling ball may be moistened. The lateral edges 1, l, of these grooves form scrapers or wipers for the finger tips and hand.

In practice, the pad is moistened. It may be applied to the person by means of the belt before or aft r moi tened. It may be slightly squeezed or pressed between the finger tips and thumb, or the hand may be passed or rubbed over the moistened surfaces of the pad, as desired by the bowler, and any excess moisture may be removed from the hand by passing the hand lightly over the pad.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a finger moistening pad for bowlers, the combination which comprises a rectangular shaped elongated bendable base plate having arcuate ends and having transversely disposed 3 belt receiving slots spaced from the ends, an elongated rectangular shaped porous spongy absorbent pad having beveled ends carried by the said base plate and longitudinally positioned thereon, the upper and lower side surfaces of said pad having spaced transversely disposed semi-spherical finger receiving recesses therein whereby by placing the tips of fingers in said recesses the moisture is applied only to bowling ball contacting surfaces of said fingers, and a belt having a buckle therein trained through the said slots of the base plate for afiixing the said base plate and pad around the waist of a bowler 4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,139,942 Wightman et a1. May 18, 1915 1,788,965 Voecks Jan. 13, 1931 2,154,831 Booharin Apr. 18, 1939 2,319,873 Linz May 25, 1943 2,341,818 Schellings Feb. 15, 1944 

